Things and Stuff

George grinned as Finn kissed his forehead and joked about being stuck with him. "Yes, you're definitely stuck with me. Even if you did have a receipt, the warranty expired a few years back," he lightly joked in a self-deprecating manner. His cheeks began to redden as Finn assured him his family loved him and that Lucy was full of appreciation for his work. At no point during his decade-long prison sentence did he ever imagine he'd have the life he now had. He'd always imagined living alone in some grubby Dublin apartment, but instead, he'd met the love of his life. The big house and the large welcoming family were wonderful additions, but Finn alone was what made George's life perfect. "I love you, Dr. Sullivan," he said, moving in to return his kiss.

When they stepped into the house, George crouched down to stroke the by now familiar dogs that came to greet him. He stood and looked around as Finn pointed out the kids weren't causing mayhem in the house. "Ah, maybe they're saving their energy until they've filled up on sugar after dinner," he remarked. He thanked Finn for helping him with his coat before Thomas joined them. Apparently the kids were playing hide and seek, but Thomas wasn't bothering to go find them. George couldn't help but chuckle at the boy's admission. "Well, I suppose that buys us all a few more minutes of peace and quiet," he pointed out. He then observed as Finn helped Thomas take his tie off. He remembered all too well being a boy and forced to wear ties for church or family dinners. The only difference was, he expected Lucy's intentions were far more wholesome and caring. His own parents had merely been obsessed about impressing the others in the village. After Thomas had run off, George looked back to Finn and slowly shook his head. "You're done for if Mrs. Porter finds out. I mean, I'll try to defend you, of course. I can't make any promises it'll help," he teased.

As they stepped into the lounge, George noticed the pair of feet poking out underneath the closed, full-length curtains. He nudged Finn, clearly having already found one of the children without even needing to try. "It's awfully quiet in here, huh?" he asked Finn in a louder than normal voice. There was a brief movement behind the curtains before Olivia gave up her hiding place and stepped out into view, approaching the two men.

"I've been hiding behind there for ages but I don't think Thomas is even looking!" she complained to Finn and George.

"Maybe..." George replied, pausing as he pensively rubbed his chin. "Or maybe your hiding place was too good for him to figure out."

Olivia shrugged and let out an exasperated sigh. "Because boys are shit," she grumbled. George raised an eyebrow, used to correcting the kids when they swore but deciding it was his day off from it. Olivia flashed and angelic smile. "Okay, well I'm going to go find Lorelei and Natasha, because they're probably bored by now!"

After Olivia rushed off George turned to Finn and grinned. "These youngsters and their potty mouths. Although, they've sworn blind the grown-ups are to blame in the first place."

Conor put on a serious face when Mitch joked back about Rachel being the brains behind the operation. "That's classified information, mate. You'd best not go broadcasting it," he lowered he voice to add to the playful seriousness of his words. He then allowed his smile to break through again before nodding along when told Rachel was keeping him out of trouble. "Of course. I'm sure she'll keep you on the straight and narrow. I know all too well that she's a bossy one..." he trailed off, stopping only when Rachel sent him a jokingly threatening glare.

The conversation took a different direction when Syd and Roxie joined the group. Although he hadn't had a real talk with his nephew since their recent heated argument, Conor was glad to see Syd looked to be in good spirits with Roxie safely by his side. There was something off about the way Syd greeted Mitch. He couldn't quite pinpoint it but he figured it had something to do with James' birthday party a few months back. Conor had been given the gossip during one of his prison telephone calls with from Sinead. Something about Syd and Mitch chatting up Roxie, then some drama unfolded, but in all honesty Conor had struggled to keep up with Sinead's fast-paced family updates during that conversation.

Working in the Sullivan-owned pub, Rachel recognised Syd and knew plenty about him, but they'd never met or been introduced before now. "Rachel Harris. Pleasure to meet you," she warmly replied, returning Syd's handshake. She then reached out to shake Roxie's hand. "Lovely to meet you," she said, only needing to briefly glance to Roxie's stomach to get confirmation of her pregnancy, "and congratulations!" Rachel briefly looked to Mitch, not really noticing anything tense in him but aware he was sticking close to her. She placed her arm around his waist as she listened to him congratulate the couple on the pregnancy. "It's a miracle you get any work done with a messy office," she teased Mitch. However, she fell silent again, figuring the men might have some kind of catching up or further updates to share.

Conor was distracted from observing Syd and Mitch when Aliana came up to him. He turned to greet his wife as she vocalised suspicions he was the one making noises around the house. "Ali, I have no idea what you're talking about, but I can assure you that on this occasion, I am an innocent man. I have witnesses." Conor might have heard some kind of thudding during his meeting with James and Jackson, but he'd been too focused on the discussion to acknowledge it.

He stood by Aliana's side as she greeted the others but when she turned to him and spoke with her voice lowered, he rested his hand on her shoulder as he moved in closer to listen. "Finn? He's around somewhere. I haven't had chance to talk to him yet but I think he and George headed into the living room." He raised a curious eyebrow to his wife as she didn't look or seem at all injured. "You alright love? You and Luce haven't been trying to move the tables again, have you? I can sort them," he said, having already stepped in to push together and position the dining tables earlier. "Is someone hurt?" he asked, his voice reflecting his concern.

Things and Stuff

Gabriel nodded his head when Tatiana pointed out he already knew her feelings on Miami. "Of course you do. New York is much more to my taste, but I knew that before my father sent me there and your Uncle Francesco here. However, it would be ungrateful of me to deny Miami has consistently proven a valuable asset and will continue to be beneficial to us in New York." He took another drink from his glass. "You know Miami very well and there's business there which affects things here. Opportunities to filter more allies and trade through to us right here. You've proven to me that you're capable of doing what has to be done in this business. As a reward for that, I'm going to allow you to spend a little time back in Miami, on business, of course. Whatever happens in your free time, I don't need to know about..."

Gabriel fell silent as the door open and Teddy stepped inside. The Italian glanced to the clock on the wall, noticing the man had arrived early. Punctuality certainly wasn't going to work against the man. "Theodore, do sit down," Gabriel greeted him and pointed to the couch positioned directly opposite him. Gabriel pointed to the decanter, inviting Teddy to help himself to a drink. With the younger man directly opposite him, it helped Gabriel to study him closely to pick up on any feelings the man could possibility wish to mask from him. The question about whether he attended church evoked a smirk from Gabriel. He glanced to Tatiana before looking straight to Teddy. "I don't have time for all of that nonsense. I'd be just as nuts to start believing in Santa Claus."

Once Rhys was in attendance and seated, Gabriel sat forward, his body language making it clear Teddy was the first focus of the meeting. "You know, when the Porters murdered most of my family, it became clear to me how close I had come to death myself. With that knowledge, I was motivated further and pushed myself even harder to reach my goals. There was nothing I wouldn't do to get where I am right now and there is much yet to achieve," he said, raising his hand for emphasis. "The 27th September, 1971. That's when you should have died, Teddy. The Porters had you in their grasp and you came so close to dying that night, that it almost seems like luck you survived at all. But you did survive and now it's your time to push yourself, to get where you want to be in life." He wouldn't admit it and neither his body language nor his cutting words gave him away, but Gabriel wanted Teddy to come back fighting strong. Regardless of any criticism from his associates and advisers, Gabriel like Teddy. The man had been as good as family until he gave the Porters that costly information. "I have my own ideas, but what about you, Theodore? Have you thought of how you will compensate me for what was lost to those Irish rats?" he prompted him.

Yes, I put pineapple on pizza. Sue me.

Peter smiled happily, relieved that Sinead was able to calm down and see the brighter side of things now. Looking at her dress as she mentioned it, he wiggled his eyebrows, "Oh you don't have to remind me, darling." He murmured before leaning in to kiss her lips. Once he pulled away, Sinead checked herself over and Peter just smiled at her all the while. "You look incredible, but your sister will have my head if we are late, so let's get a move on." With that, he took her hand and they descended down the stairs. "Alright kids, pile into the car, Samson too, Brady." The young man nodded his head, wearing a suit surprisingly, not wanting to be griped at by his mother or aunt.

Once they all piled into the car, they took the short drive to the Porters' house and soon it was time to get out of the car. The rain was still heavy and Peter took off his coat in the car before turning to Sinead, "I'll come cover you, stay right there." Once out of the car, he rounded it and opened the passenger side door before lifting the coat over her head. "We should have brought umbrellas." He chuckled and the family walked quickly up to the porch where it was nice and dry. Stepping inside the house, the smell of food was enough to make Peter's mouth water. "I'm so ready for food." He groaned as he held Sinead close. "I'm surprised Lucy hasn't gotten the whole family sitting at the table by now."Misty Gray
.....

Gwen Bryant ​

Gwen shook her head as she moved to get her dress back on, "Do not be surprised if someone says something, I try to hold my family up to the highest standards but they know how to gossip." She murmured before turning in front of him, "A little help with the zipper?" She asked gently and once she was zipped back up, she moved to fix her hair. "Guess we should face the music and see if dinners ready, hmm?" She asked before moving towards her door and opening it. Sticking her head out into the hallway, she was relieved to find nobody there before stepping out into it completely. "I really should get rid of that headboard." She grumbled to Jason before taking his hand and shutting her door behind her. Once they descended the stairs, she noticed Syd, Roxie, Conor, Mitch and someone she'd never met before beside him. Roxie met her eye and immediately gave her a settle knowing look to which Gwen wanted desperately to avoid.

"Let's go into the other lounge, there's a piano in there." The redhead said quickly before moving as far away from Syd and Roxie as possible. Pyroclast
.....

Roxie Carriveau ​

Despite the awkward encounter Roxie had with Gwen and Jason, she tried not to be too obvious about teasing them when they came rushing down the stairs. After Gwen practically fled from her, Roxie turned her attention back to the current awkward conversation between Syd and Mitch. She was introduced to the new woman Mitch had on his arm and Roxie gave a small wave before shaking the woman's hand as well. "Rachel, it's so nice to meet you." She murmured lightly before turning her eyes to Syd a moment. The tension was obvious and Roxie wasn't sure where it was coming from. Turning back to Mitch, he smiled more genuinely at her as he pointed out that congratulations were in order. Roxie chuckled as he said they would make a great set of parents. "Thank you, I sure hope we will be. My parents screwed me up so I'm just hoping that I don't do the same." She chuckled lightly. "These girls will be spoiled, however, no doubt about it." Suddenly, Roxie's nose picked up a burning smell and she looked confused as she looked between the three of them. "Something's burning I think." Lucy who was apparently in the bathroom, came running out of it towards the kitchen.Pyroclast
, RayPurchaseMisty Gray
......

Finn Sullivan ​

Finn gave a playful shiver as he wondered what Lucy would do to him if she found out about helping Thomas take his tie off but George's attention was turned to the curtains and his partner nudged him. Finn saw a pair of little feet sticking out under the curtain and he did his best not to chuckle. Regardless, little Olivia stepped out from her hiding place and Finn smiled widely.

Shaking his head lightly, Thomas had said he didn't want to search for them and poor Olivia was clueless to that fact. Her cursing was one of the funniest things Finn had heard and soon she was on her way to find the other girls. "In this house, I'm not surprised they blame the grown ups, but I don't know how they get away with it with Lucy running about."

"No no no no no!" Lucy ran past the men into the kitchen and Finn watched wide eyed for a moment before following her in. Gasping himself, Finn immediately grabbed the fire extinguisher to put out what looked to be casserole on fire. Lucy stood with her hands over her mouth as Finn put out the fire before he finally turned to her when it was extinguished. "Thank you." Lucy squeaked and Finn set the fire extinguisher on the counter. "Well, no ones getting that casserole now." The blonde woman grumbled. Finn took in her appearance and looked to George for a second, "Everything okay, Lucy?" He asked cautiously to which the blonde shook her head. "I forgot to put the timer on, I think I burned the skin on my chest and now the casserole is ruined...it's like my nightmare I had the other night." Finn raised a brow, "Well I can help you with the burns, but I think the casserole is finished and unfortunately so is that beautiful dress. Nothing else is going into the oven right?" Lucy shook her head, "Everything's ready." She murmured before Finn waved his hand and pointed in the direction of the bathroom. "Let's get you fixed up."Misty Gray
......

Lucy Porter ​

Lucy suffered from mild burns but once she was patched up she decided to change her outfit before calling everyone to dinner. Once she was inside the room, she saw James changing too and smiled softly. "You won't believe what just happened down there, I think I'm losing it, Mr. Porter." She murmured gently before moving to the walk in closet to grab one of the dresses she was going to wear originally. Once changed she sighed, "I don't think I can cook ever again, I nearly burned down the house." She chuckled before taking his hands once he'd finished changing. "As much as I want to just stay up here, it's time to face the chaos that is thanksgiving."
.....

"HAPPY THANKSGIVING PILGRIMS"​

Everyone was seated at the long table with dinner right in front of them. Glasses filled with champagne, Lucy tapped a spoon against her glass before standing up. Clearing her throat, she smiled at her family. "I know this is something James normally does but I figured we give the old man a break." She teased, looking down at him for a moment before turning back to everyone else. "I think the disaster in the kitchen tonight was a perfect representation of how we all have been feeling as of late, chaotic. But to have us all together at this table, it makes me grateful for the strength we have as a family. We all know how we feel about this year, I won't go into detail about it because we've all experienced it for ourselves. Despite our feelings about this year and the way things have gone, I just want to share some words of wisdom for the younger people in our family which I'm sure us older people can agree with. " Pausing, Lucy looked to her children, her nieces and nephews. "Life is far too short, hell, I was 23 one minute and then the next I'm nearing 50." She chuckled softly before shaking her head, "We get so caught up in this constant battle that I feel like we lose sight of what is really important, the people around you will always have your back, they have made you who you are and who you will continue to be. I am so thankful for each and everyone of you, as I know James is too, you all are what's important, you are what keeps us going. To our family, thank you and to those joining, welcome to the family. Happy Thanksgiving everyone." Lucy raised her glass with everyone before taking a seat. "I want to see all of this food gone!" She said happily.

Things and Stuff

Maddox had been staying in an apartment in Hell's Kitchen for a few weeks. The block was under Porter ownership and heavily guarded on account of the business that often took place on the premises. Guards were always stationed outside the basic accommodation, to stop the counsellor from getting out and to prevent anyone unwanted from getting in. The apartment itself had the basics, with the books and the radio being the only entertainment in the absence of a television and friendly company. Maddox was a patient man and didn't struggle to occupy his mind despite the lack of freedoms he'd previously been used to. He had faith the arrangement was temporary, but wasn't oblivious to the fact he'd be stuck where he was for at least another two months. The worst part about it was that he had no contact with Ani. He didn't know where she was and he hadn't been given any opportunity to tell her he was being taken somewhere safe. He imagined she would have been trying to contact him but to no avail. As much as he hoped she would wait for him and they could be reunited, the kinder option was that she would assume he was dead and move on with her life. He would prefer she had a happy life rather than being held back wondering if he were still around.

Conor had made Maddox aware that the mission to save Roxie had been successful, which he knew was why he was being kept in the apartment and hadn't been killed that same night. It had also come as a surprise to hear that Stefano had been killed in the process. Considering what Maddox knew about the man and the cruelty he showed to his own daughter, the counsellor didn't have any sympathy for the dead man. Besides, it was a strike against Gabriel and Alistair. One thing Maddox had not been told outright, but from conversations he'd had, mumblings he'd heard, and Conor's growing confidence, he suspected Conor was either calling the shots for the mob or had taken on a much more senior role within the organisation. In a world of monsters and cruelty, be it Gabriel, Alistair or James, the counsellor saw more hope and humanity in Conor.

Today was Thanksgiving, but for obvious reasons it didn't feel like it at all. Sat opposite Maddox at the dinner table were two of the Porter guards who had taken a break to play poker with the counsellor, minus any exchanging of cash. "Fucking prick did it again," one of the guards grumbled as Maddox had the winning hand. "We could make some money out of this bloke," he remarked to his friend. Maddox couldn't help but flash a small smirk at the comments. At least the guys weren't accusing him of cheating as he had bad history on that front, after being falsely accused back in Dublin all of those years ago. Arlene Sullivan hadn't taken kindly to the idea of him cheating and as a result, a younger and more innocent Maddox had taken a heavy beating.

The apartment door was pushed open and Adam stepped inside, carrying two brown paper bags of takeout food with him. "Alright lads, back to work, yeah? I'm sure the boss would have something to say about you wanting to make money out of this clever ole chap," he said, mocking the counsellor's English accent. Once the two Irishmen had left, Adam dumped the bags of food in the centre of the dining table and sat opposite Maddox in one of the freshly vacated seats. "It's not quite a banquet, but I'm fucking starving and I'm back out on another job in a bit. Besides, these burgers are huge," he enthused, ripping his bag so he could start tucking into his cheeseburger and fries. As he finished one mouthful, he looked at Maddox as the counsellor started eating his food, albeit with less haste. "This place ain't much, but you lucked out. Alternatives were death or death, right?" Adam raised his arm, making it clear he wasn't after a response. "I'm just fucking with ya. Boss wouldn't be keeping you alive if you hadn't been proving your worth. That's why I'm here, to be honest. I got caught up in an altercation a bit ago and got my arm slashed," he said, pointing to the bloodstained patch on the upper half his coat's sleeve. The blood hadn't escaped Maddox's attention when Adam had first walked into view, though he figured it was not of his concern. "Got it wrapped up for now, until we've finished eating, but I think it needs stitching up. Which I'm led to believe you can do."

"With the correct equipment, I can do that," Maddox confirmed. "I assume you won the fight?" The counsellor took another bite into his burger, opting to let Adam steer any conversation as he didn't give off the impression of a man who wanted to get too comfortable around him.

"Yeah, the Italian was a fucking embarrassment," Adam scoffed. "Speaking of your old mates. Would you happen to know if they employ many Cockneys?" he curiously asked.

Queen of Melanin

Ali gave her husband a nod and look as if she didn't believe him. Of course she did, but she wasn't going to let him know that. "Oh sure you aren't." It didn't occur to her, like a lot of what she said lately, could be taken negatively. Mental note to work on doing that, she thought. "Oh nothing, babe, Luce just burned herself a little. I wanted Finn to check and make sure she was okay and it wasn't anything serious." She rubbed his back in reassuring comfort, making sure he didn't freak out over nothing. It was important to her that he kept his stress levels low now that he was taking command of things. Before she got a chance to speak on the subject more, she heard Roxie ask if something was burning. To her knowledge, the last thing that was in the oven was the turkey and that had already been taken out so what could've been left? As everyone looked around at each other, Lucy shot upstairs in her ruined dress to the kitchen, realizing she had left something inside. Aliana followed her into the kitchen and watched as she took out the burnt casserole, fanning the space in front of her face. "Everything else is safe, so it's alright. The animals can eat it?" She said, shrugging her shoulders.

While Lucy went to change, the younger woman went on a hunt for her son. The kids still seemed to be playing hide and seek and Ali knew exactly where her offspring was hiding. Checking the closet, he was tucked to the side behind a bunch of coats. "Alright kiddo, we're about to eat soon so I need you to go get washed up." Reluctantly her son emerged from the closet with a pout on his face. "Thomas didn't even find me yet!" Carefully squatting down to talk with him at eye level, she grabbed his hands and smiled. "Baby you have so much time in the world to play with your cousins. I actually encourage you to spend as much time as you possibly can playing with your cousins..." She took a pause to give him a motherly smile before the menacing yet peaceful mother look came out. "But for now, you're going to wash your grubby little hands and come enjoy the meal your aunt Lucy prepared for the family, hm?" Leo knew what that tone meant and immediately did as his mother instructed him to do. Ali stood back up and fixed her dress before going to do the same.

With the Lady of the House now changed and presentable, the family finally sat at the dinner table. She found herself next to Blake and Leo, grateful that she could keep an eye on her kid but also be able to have an adult conversation. Her husband sat across from her and she couldn't help but throw a wink his way. Lucy's attention grabbing toast made her look up and focus, hanging on to her every word. It was inspirational, to say the least, and she loved every bit of it. She had always loved being apart of this family as they had opened her in despite her beginning relationship with Conor and, something she never brought up or really liked to, her race. It was a big and warm family and while she herself had that, it was an on and off, hot and cold feeling. Now? That feeling of togetherness was always present. Especially now with their family steadily growing. She was so lost in these thoughts, she missed the part where the toast was over and the chatter started building back up.​

Queen of Melanin

Theodore was never a man to turn down a drink, especially since it was going to help calm his raging nerves. He gave his boss a nod of his head as he helped himself to a small glass of the brown liquor. Retaking his seat, he took a sip and let out a small chuckle at his bosses answer to his question. Teddy knew the answer to that question already, but he needed something to break the ice. If it were silent in that room, with Gabriel staring him down the way he had been he was going to go insane. He had seen the look many times before, but this was different. This look was towards him and he never thought he'd have to be the person on the receiving end of it. "Poor woman. Although, I was interested in which hat she decided to debut today." He joked, rubbing his chin with his index finger. Hearing the door open he turned his head to see Rhys enter and get settled, Gabriel getting straight to business.

Gabriel spoke and Teddy listened intently to his words. He had heard this story many times in the past, about how he worked hard to get to where he was. The older man was lucky, he realized, as he was also dancing with death. Had he been there sooner, none of them would be where they sat now. The entire Moretti bloodline would be gone and Teddy would not be working with this man. His own father would have been in cahoots with some other criminal empire, perhaps the Porters. It was funny to think about the different turn of events had fate gotten her way, but he wasn't going to say that much. Instead he nodded his head along and sipped from his drink as well. "September 27th." That date made him look up from his drink and stare at his boss. His attention was really grabbed now. After being told that was the day he was supposed to have died, he was definitely paying a lot more attention. He was curious as to why this was brought up and the purpose, while listening to everything else he had to say. Gabriel didn't need to tell him he was lucky for surviving, he knew well enough for himself. But hearing his boss say it was time for him to come back fighting was inspirational to say the least. When he was asked about his plan to compensate for his failure, he cleared his throat.

"I do, actually. I wanted to fine tune things and get all the information before I came to you with it." He took a pause to finish what was in his cup before delving into his drug plan. "I managed to find out all the players in the Porters' drug game. The people dealing, the people distributing, and the connect. The main source. The hit that was ordered on them, the hit we did? They don't know it was us who did it and I made sure not to tell them. Figured if you wanted to clear the air before making a deal that was up to you. The second in command, he and I have been talking and if this is something you want to take over, we can make that happen." He was uneasy at how his boss was going to take this, even if he thought it was a great idea. A small stash compared to how much more they could have? Perhaps his betrayal could finally be fully forgiven. ​

Things and Stuff

Upon entering the Porter house, Sinead couldn't help but notice how full of life it seemed the moment she stepped inside. The last time she was in the house, there had been a lot of people there but the atmosphere was more sombre as they'd been brought together for Warren's wake that day. Thanksgiving brought with in a warmer and more upbeat atmosphere which Sinead was grateful for. It was lovely seeing everyone together and ready to celebrate.

As everyone was called to the table, Sinead saw the copious amounts of alcohol and was reminded in that moment she couldn't have any. She didn't want to do anything at all that could risk her pregnancy and so she decided not even a sip of wine would pass her lips. Instead, she offered to get the kids some juice and fizzy drinks then helped herself to a glass of lemonade before taking her seat between Peter and Blake. Once sat down, Sinead clung onto Peter's arm and rested her head against his shoulder as she waited for things to get started. The redhead sat with her eyes focused on Lucy as her sister addressed everyone at the dinner table. She couldn't help but fondly smile as Lucy spoke encouraging words to everyone. Sinead was still trying to get used to the idea of Conor now running the business and she hoped her brother would be okay in the role. She knew he was big and strong, but growing up close to Conor she knew more than most how kind his heart was. It concerned her how much he'd have to hide his warmth to assert his power over their enemies.

"Thank you for having us all, Luce!" Sinead called out as her sister finished her speech. She let go of her husband's arms and sat up straight, briefly looking to Peter and sending him a warm smile. She looked to the food in front of them and took a deep, apprehensive breath. She usually only ate small amounts but she wanted to do everything she could to stay healthy, which she knew also included eating proper meals. She leaned forward and looked down the table, sending her three very much grown up children a smile as she made sure they were all alright where they were seated.

As she reached forward to add some vegetables to her plate, Sinead sent a warm smile across to Finn and George. "And how are you both feeling today?" she sweetly asked them. Anyone knew by now how much Sinead cared for her cousin, but she also had a lot of time for George too. When Peter had started his first prison sentence, back in Dublin, George was the first cellmate he had. She knew how kind George had been to Peter in that time and it's something she would always be grateful to the man for. The fact that he clearly made Finn happy, after the doctor had struggled for some time to find the love he deserved, just made George even better in her eyes. "Isn't this just perfect, Petey?" she gushed, sending him a loving smile. She knew her head was in the clouds, but since her earlier talk with him, she'd decided for the rest of the day she would only focus on the positives and what they did have, rather than those they'd lost.

Add alcohol and stir!

Syd didn’t really know what to make of Mitch’s offer of congratulations. Normally he would proudly accept and go on to express his gratitude, but the fact that the man was acting so kind and had even got a card for them made him feel awkward. His first impression of Mitch was that he was annoyingly perfect, deceptively charming and yet put it all on for show to make himself look like the better man next to Syd. He had held onto that opinion ever since James’ birthday party, if nothing else but to justify his violent outburst which had him choking the man and pressing a gun to his head. He had never admitted what he had done to anyone - not even Maddox Parker - and so although nobody around them knew of what had happened between them, he struggled to put on airs for the lawyer.

Without any verbal acknowledgement of Mitch’s kind gesture, Syd forced a smile and then hung back to allow Roxie to take over. His subtle attempt to make Mitch feel unwelcome had apparently not worked, and he so saw no point in trying again. He just couldn’t wait for him and Roxie to stop talking to each other so they could move on and pretend he wasn’t here. Rachel seemed pleasant, at least.

Syd’s mood was instantly brightened by the arrival of Aliana, whose congratulations he was much happier to accept. “Good one, Ali,” he jested, when she warned them to get some sleep while they could. As it was, Syd didn’t believe that two babies could possibly worsen their chances of having a restful night’s sleep. With the twins and Roxie's recent trauma keeping her awake and his wild night terrors, the two of them couldn’t even share a bedroom anymore. Nevertheless, the excitement of Thanksgiving was boosting Syd’s energy levels, and when Roxie brought attention to the burning smell coming from the kitchen followed by a frantic-looking Lucy hurrying towards the source, Syd grinned and grabbed Roxie’s hand. “That must mean it’s ready!”

Although he acted casual, the thought that Gwen's family might actually bring up what had happened upstairs concerned Jason. Of course she would know them better than he did, but he had assumed that their wealth and power would give them enough formality to not talk about sex at the dinner table - especially not to embarrass their guest. “Sure it’s the last thing they’d be wantin’ to talk about over dinner,” he said, mostly to ease his own mind. “Especially in front of the kids and all…” Jason zipped up Gwen’s dress for her and gave himself a quick once-over, smoothing back his hair so as not to give anything more away. “We’ll just sit away from your nephew’s girl, will we? We’re already after makin’ a show of ourselves, can’t go makin’ it any worse, now.”

They didn’t have much luck descending the stairs as Roxie and Syd were at the bottom, apparently greeting more guests. As soon as they caught their eye, Jason thought he saw a smirk unfold on Syd’s face and quickly looked away. He gratefully followed Gwen into the next room, where Savannah was playing the piano, and planted a kiss on her lips. Despite everything, he still couldn’t look at her without wanting to get back into bed. Leaning close to her ear, he whispered, “Maybe tomorrow we could spend the day at my place…?”

Unfortunately, their bad luck wasn't over yet - Jason and Gwen arrived in the dining hall only to find that the only seats left at the table were directly opposite Roxie and Syd. As soon as they had taken their places, however, all his worries left his mind as he found himself fighting to conceal his awe at the spectacular feast laid out on the table. Never in his life had Jason seen a spread so magnificent. He couldn’t even identify half of the dishes. Although he made his best attempt to act like it wasn't anything rare for him, he couldn’t help his eyes from wandering. The whole mansion suddenly seemed grander than ever, the mobsters’ wealth now displayed not only in the spacious, high-ceiling rooms and exquisite décor but also in their high-class tuxedos, the jewels strung around their necks, the countless plates of food. To say he felt like he fit in with the family would be a total act - but he had to remind himself of how far he had come since he had first encountered Gwen back in Dublin. Now that he was acquainted with some of them, they didn’t intimidate him so much. In fact, he was so certain of his love for Gwen and Lorelei that he knew that, despite their difference in class, if he belonged with them then he belonged with the rest of the family, too. It would just take some time to get used to.

Lucy’s speech really drove that home. Holding Gwen’s hand under the table, Jason gazed at the family matriarch, and with each word that fell from her lips he felt more and more welcome. By the end he no longer felt like an imposter, but like a member of the family himself. He squeezed Gwen’s hand and, after catching her eye, leaned in to kiss her on the lips.

Seeing everyone seated around the table together filled Syd’s heart with warmth and pure happiness. He was sure that nothing could wipe the smile off his face now, not even Mitch. After all the trauma and tragedy the family had suffered in the recent past, gathering everyone together for an enormous sit-down meal and a party was exactly what they needed. Everyone looked their best and was in high spirits, the food looked mouth-watering and for the first time in a long time, Syd couldn’t feel a single shadow hanging over the family. He cheered and clapped when Lucy finished her speech and then turned to the intimidating feast before them. Sweet potato casserole, buttered roast vegetables, cornbread stuffing, butternut squash tart, pumpkin soup with home-baked rolls for dipping, pecan pie, apple fritters and cheesecake - and that was only on their half of the table. He couldn't even see what was on the other side of the glorious, golden showstopper turkey in the centre of the table, nor who was sitting behind it. It was enough to make anyone drool. “Mam’s not joking, Roxie - she’ll be expecting you to eat for six instead of three tonight. Maybe even nine!” Syd kissed her on the cheek with a smile before reaching forward to help serve the people around him. “We'd better get cracking before the table gives out. I bet you we’ll all look pregnant by the end of this..."

Seeing a bottle of red wine near him, Syd couldn't resist breaking his habit and reached over to bring it in. "Well, it is Thanksgiving after all," he quietly justified to himself. With a deep-set look of concentration, he poured slowly - and just when it was looking to be a small measure, he jerked his elbow upwards and rose it to a large. "Whoops!" he said, raising the glass to his lips with a mischievous smile on his face. "The food absorbs it all, I'm sure. Hey, Jason, could you pass the headboard? I mean -" Syd burst out laughing, feigning his error. "I mean the appetiser board, the charcuterie - you know what I meant." Jason's cheeks singed red, though part of him wanted to laugh, too. "Sure. I know what ye meant. Give us your plate, I'll load her up..."

Add alcohol and stir!

Ethan’s answers were exactly what Alistair had been hoping for, and was pleased that the man was joining in on his game. He didn’t quite let his amusement show, instead acting as if they were having a serious conversation. “That’s good, that’s good,” he nodded. “Arlene was a highlight of my year, too. You made a fine display of that whore.” The memory replayed itself in his mind as he paused to take a bite. Dragging her boyfriend into the room by the chair he was bound to so that she could watch the life drain from his bloodshot eyes as he was strangled with a garrote wire. She had some attitude, too, which made the scene all the more memorable. He thought back on it fondly.

“What am I thankful for?” he mused. “This bountiful feast, good company, having the time to sit back and enjoy the finer things in life…” It was all true, of course, but Alistair was only making fun of Thanksgiving clichés. Despite joining in with the American tradition, their lives were anything but ordinary and that was something he took pride in, something he was really grateful for. A smile crossed his face. “Take a look out the window…” The large pane of glass gave a panoramic view of the twinkling lights below, the horizon defined by the distant skyscrapers.

“The City of Dreams. That’s what they call it. Those little people out there, following the beaten path, all trying to be someone they’ll never be. They come to this city wanting more, believing all their wishes will be granted and they’ll get to live out their wildest fantasies. New York is nothing but a superficial dreamscape to them. But us, Ethan, we’re engaged in something real. We’re not living out a dream. We’re the backbone of New York City - and you can't get more real than that. So that’s what I’m thankful for.” Alistair took a sip of his wine before thinking some more. “Also for our enemies. They keep me young, you know? Running this empire would be boring with no one challenging us. Life’s nothing without a good fight... Reminds you of what’s worth fighting for.”

"But enough about gratitude," he went on, and pointed his fork in Ethan's direction. "I know you're a significant part of this cause, Ethan, but I'm interested to know - what is it you want? Anything you miss from your old life? Or are you proud to leave it all behind you?"

The All-Powerful Enzyme!

Jackson gave Conor one last nudge as the trio stepped out of the office. With the burning cigar in his fingers, he shifted on his heels to James, whom he offered a friendly smile. The man was out of practice, but he could tell his mind hadn't slowed down its pace in the slightest, or let go of any of its racehorses. "If it means all the same, I think that grease suits ya' better, mate." He crossed his arms as James brought up Natasha, his smile creasing around the large cigar. "I'm not too worried about that. She could make friends with rabid wolves. She seems to like it here too," Jackson shrugged, looking to the extravagant mansion that surrounded him. "I had her callin' ya' uncle James when she could first put words together, but nowadays she seems to mean it." Jackson nodded sincerely. "Hopefully she doesn't get too fond of this place, cause she sure as hell ain't staying," he chuckled. "Go and get ready." Jackson smacked James on the arm, before moving back down the hall.

Instead of following the maze of hallways to the main room, he wandered out onto the marble balcony, it's pristine glass doors extended into November's brisk air. The flowing, silk curtains invited him, grasping around his black suit as if it were engulfing Jackson. The bottoms of his rough hands found the handrail and the distant chatter from the warm household turned to muffled murmurs. The tall, groomed hills in front of him bobbed down to the concrete city, the tall structures piercing the night sky like needles into a sheet. Where he was, the interactions he had with the people around him, it all felt fictitious. It wasn't that he disliked the city or the people he called family, cause New York was tolerable and he loved them all. It was more that nothing felt real. He truly believed he had died back in Dublin, back when they'd stormed the IWU's hideout. Everything since then had been extra, like an epilogue he was never meant to read, and a happy-ever-after ending he was never meant to live. The intoxicating smoke smoldered off the ember tip, running through his nostrils as he inhaled deeply. With a sharp exhale, the smoke escaped his skull like the existential thoughts he'd had crammed in the crevices of his brain. Soon enough, the thoughts would return, just like the smoke would once he struck another match. HAPPY THANKSGIVING PILGRAMS! Jackson's head bobbed behind his shoulder at the voice. With one last gander at the city in front of him, he flicked the burnout cigar into the garden below and stepped back into the warmth.

As Jackson entered the dining room, his smile instantly reappeared. He opened his arms out wide as he walked down the table, finally able to see everyone in one room. "Hey, hey!" Jackson chuckled. He felt there were so many faces to greet, but with so little time. Coming from the door, he grasped Natasha and placed a kiss on the top of her braided hair. "Look at you at the big table." He chuckled, squeezing her lightly. "Eat everything Aunt Lucy gives ya', cause I heard there's gonna be some-" he looked up to Savannah, raising a curious brow, "Pumpkin pie, is it?" He looked back to Natasha, putting on an exaggerated, excited face. He gave the girls on the end of the table one more smile, noting Emery beside Natasha and raising his dukes to her in a joking manner. It had been a long time since he'd given Emery any sort of training, but back then it was nothing more than a game of hot hands.

With that, he moved further down the table to his spot. "Fuckin' hell," Jackson chuckled as he pulled his chair out. "They put me next to the bloody loony!" He joked, slugging Conor in the arm. Before he sat, he put a hefty hand on Finn's shoulder. "Dr. Finn, nice to finally see ya' out of the scrubs." Jackson sat down in his seat, looking to the mountains of food in front of him. "Christ, I could get used to these Yankee customs, I reckon," he chuckled, looking to those around him. He found Blake across from him, his brows raised to his hairline. "What'd ya' say, luv? Feast like this a few nights a week back home?" He joked, knowing his wife would sooner throw him in the oven.

Jackson looked at Lucy as she spoke. Man, did she look gorgeous. The uncomfortable feelings decades ago had long passed, and now it was nothing but admiration for an old friend. "Do the Yanks have a tradition for this holiday, or is it all just eatin' and drinkin'?" he asked curiously, filling up a glass of bourbon.

Things and Stuff

Conor followed Aliana and Leo into the dining room, helping his wife into her seat and making sure his son was sat down too. Knowing how mischievous Leo and Thomas could be, they'd been seated near to their parents rather than at the opposite end of the table with the other kids. Conor gave Aliana a kiss on the cheek before rounding the table to sit in his own seat that would be between Jackson and Rachel. "Evening, mate," he greeted Finn, leaning forward to catch the man's attention from a little further down the table. "We'll catch up in a bit, yeah?" he offered both the doctor and George, sending them a wide grin. Catching up with his number one cousin was always fun.

Catching Aliana's wink from across the table, he returned a cheeky one of his own, before pursing his lips together to mimic a playful kiss. Conor sat quietly as Lucy made her speech, grinning at his eldest sister in an attempt to put her off if he caught her eye. As always she was composed and spoke encouraging words to everyone around the table. By the time she'd finished speaking, Conor's smile had turned to one of admiration. "Ah, beaut speech, Luce," he praised her.

Looking to Leo, Conor leaned forward to address the boy. "You heard what your Aunt Luce said. No mucking about with your food, just get it all eaten. Alright, mate?" he firmly told the boy. It was all fun and games when they were tucking into ice-cream, but Conor wanted to make sure the lad ate some proper food and didn't have Aliana needing nag him when she was trying to enjoy her own meal.

Having caught what Jackson had said to Blake about her cooking feasts for them back home, Conor shook his head and pointed his thumb in Jackson's direct. "Tell him you'll have a feast but he's got to do the cooking. Put the lazy sod to good use," he teased, nudging Jackson in the arm. When Jackson asked about the traditions, Conor shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno, mate. Pretty sure eating and drinking is enough. That's certainly my highlight!"

Clearing his throat and standing up, Conor decided to put all jokes aside to address the room. "Alright, everyone. Most of you should know by now how this is going to go down. Everyone's got to say what they're thankful for. We can't have us all here together without making things at least bit awkward, right?" he asked, with a smirk. "So, I'll kick this off... As my lovely sister said, it hasn't been the best year, but we're all pretty good at focusing on the good stuff. I'm thankful to be sitting here with you lot, rather than spending my Thanksgiving eating that prison shite! I'm especially grateful to be back home with my beautiful wife and my amazing son," he said, looking down to Aliana and Leo. His eyes then shifted to James and Lucy, causing him to fall silent for a moment as he was reminded once more of the huge responsibility he'd agreed to take on. He eventually looked around to room at each person sat there. "I'm also thankful for everyone's support, and even though I know you're all bloody strong yourselves, I'm going to fight for this family and we're going to keep having days like today. Memories worth keeping." Conor sat back in his seat and reached out for the bottle to pour himself a whiskey. "I'm also pretty thankful for this stuff!" he added, flashing a grin. "Right. Move on. Next!" he prompted the others to speak.

EVERYONE: Tagging you all but if we keep mostly posting within the groups Bella set out for the scene then posting orders should keep flowing. Otherwise it'll be a big mess if we all reply to Conor's request one at a time. Bella:DPyroclastEnzymeMelanin-GxdessRayPurchase

Things and Stuff

Emery caught Jackson's gesture and mirrored his actions before flexing her right arm. Even as a child she'd been fascinated by the family business and part of that meant she got used to men working for her Uncle James, one of which being Jackson himself. Once the man had walked away, Emery turned to Natasha who was sat next to her. She knew the little girl was a little quiet, but that wouldn't stop her from talking to her anyway. "Y'know, the coolest people get to sit at the end of the table, right? After Uncle James and Aunt Lucy, that means you and I are practically calling the shots," she encouraged her with a grin. "Really, we should both have dibs on the pumpkin pie."

Savannah sat quietly during her aunt's speech. She leaned forward slightly to see her mother and father, noticing Sinead had filled her glass with lemonade rather than some brightly-coloured cocktail. She softly smiled to herself at the thought of her parents having some good news and a new baby to look forward to. She soon turned her attention down to her hands which were linked together on her lap. She couldn't help but think over how close she'd come to not being sat at the table and to having her parents suffer through even more heartache. She was grateful for her family members who had helped cover up what she'd done to protect herself, but she still couldn't help but feel guilt for killing someone. She wasn't sure how those in her family's business did it. Not only to overcome the overbearing guilt but also to live without worrying their crimes would catch up to them; that on any day the police would come knocking on the door ready to arrest them.

She might have managed to survive to make it to the Thanksgiving dinner, but Savannah was fully aware of Warren's absence. She couldn't believe it when she heard he'd been killed. With him often acting as her bodyguard, she'd grown to like Warren and he was one of the few Porter guards she could have much of a normal conversation with.

As the speech came to an end, Savannah snapped out of her thoughts and was reminded the day was meant to be about focusing on the positives, the things and people she did have. Savannah glanced to Syd as he burst out laughing after saying something about an headboard. Savannah raised a curious eyebrow, not needing much explanation to gather there was some kind of innuendo to the comment. Her eyes then moved to Jason, his blushing only confirming Syd's comment had been something embarrassing. She looked back to Roxie and Syd, glad the couple were looking so happy and their babies were healthy.

Whilst Emery helped Natasha to get some food, Savannah stood up and walked around to Olivia to help her reach for what she wanted. The child turned her nose up as she was offered green vegetables, quickly shaking her head. "You know potatoes are veg too, right?" Savannah asked, prompting a quick series of nods from Olivia. "So you're just having turkey and potatoes?" the older blonde asked, rolling her eyes.

"Yep. The rest would just be a waste of space on my plate!" Olivia reasoned. She then gasped and sat wide-eyed as Savannah filled the plate with potatoes and turkey. "Whaaaaat?!" she exlcaimed, wondering how she could possibility eat that much food. Savannah returned to her seat and set about filling her own plate, though she was careful to limit her portions if she wanted to avoid putting on weight and having her manager single her out for it the way he had done with some of the others backstage.

"Jesus! Lorelei. Brady. Please tell me you two know how to eat?" Emery said with exasperation before proceeding to indiscriminately fill her plate. "Just do some bloody exercises later. Uncle Conor's always filling his big mouth and he's not fat!" she reminded those around her.

As Conor posed his question and those around the table proceeded to answer, Savannah couldn't help but feel nervous about having to answer. On stage, she was full of confidence and energy, but being asked to speak in front of her family filled her with a sense of dread. When it was her turn, she blushed and kept her gaze focused on the glass of wine in front of her. "I'm thankful for all of my family and friends, for everything you've all done for me lately. Some horrible things have happened to me but you've all helped me in some way and I love you all for that," she said, quickly nodding her head. She quickly used a tissue to catch the stray tears that had escaped from her eyes. "And for the opportunities I've been given to follow my dreams. Those too," she quickly added, feeling a little embarrassed by that point.

When it got to Olivia, the child looked up like a deer caught in headlights. She was already greatly conscious of the fact her mother wasn't sat at the table, that Arlene had died months ago. It was difficult to see past that, but when she looked down the table, she saw Lucy and James which prompted her to flash a nervous smile. "I'm thankful for Lucy and James for letting me live here so I could still have a home," she said, then abruptly fell silent, other than a sniffle.

"I'm thankful for everything. For my family and friends. Our family's employees. Our beautiful homes and all this amazing food. I just love you all and no matter what, I know we'll always stick together," Emery said, in a more outgoing manner than her introverted sister. "The only thing that would make my world more perfect right now would be an alcoholic beverage!" she hinted, looking towards her parents. Regardless of the response she turned to Natasha. "You wanna talk next, cutie?" she encouraged her.

Yes, I put pineapple on pizza. Sue me.

Roxie was relieved when Lucy called everyone to dinner, she wasn't sure how much longer she was going to last in the awkward conversation they were having with Mitch, Rachel, Conor and Aliana. Though concerned for Lucy, she seemed to have everything under control and made it to the table with James freshly changed and looking absolutely marvelous. The food on the table was calling her name but patiently she sat as the wine and champagne was poured into other people's glasses. One thing Roxie missed, alcohol. Sighing lightly, she placed her hands on her belly as Lucy stood up and tapped a spoon against her glass. The speech was both uplifting and a sort of reality check that things had indeed gone the way they did...

Roxie found herself looking to Syd as his mother mentioned the struggles they'd gone through and reached down to take his hand gently, giving it a squeeze. Roxie's eyes looked around the table, still finding it very hard to believe that she was even here to begin with. It had been 20 days but Roxie still was having trouble mentally comprehending her current situation, the fact that she had actually made it out of that horrible situation after feeling for 2 weeks that she wasn't going to make it. After having so much doubt, it was a struggle to fill herself with the confidence she once possessed. This idea of having such a loving family was so odd to her but she knew that instead of rejecting these people who so kindly took her in, trying in vain to be independent, she needed to let it be. The last thing she needed to be right now was alone and she was truly grateful that Syd and his family was there for her and the babies.

Her emotions were trying to get the best of her and when Lucy's speech came to an end, Roxie had to clear her throat and turn her head down to her lap for a few moments to compose herself. Syd thankfully turned to her, distracting her from giving into her emotions with ease. A laugh escaped her as he stated that his mother expected her to eat for 6 or maybe even 9 tonight. Rolling her eyes as he kissed her cheek, she looked to the food on the table and her stomach growled discreetly.

Gwen had been leaning into Jason as they held hands under the table, taking in Lucy's speech as she finished. Lucy always knew what to say in times like this, when the whole family was together after tough times. She loved her sister-in-law dearly and Gwen's eyes searched both her and James as Lucy sat back down at the table. Feeling a hand squeeze hers, Gwen turned to look at Jason smiled softly before he leaned in a graced her with a kiss. "Happy Thanksgiving, love." She murmured before turning to the food on the table, wondering what she was going to grab first. Deciding to grab a biscuit or two, Gwen reached to grab the basket before offering it to Jason.

Gwen was just about to offer Syd and Roxie the basket when Syd made a remark that caught both her and Roxie by surprise. "You little shit!" Gwen hissed playfully at Syd before tossing a biscuit towards his face. Roxie couldn't help but giggle as she moved to cover her mouth, trying to hide the fact that she was laughing from both Jason and Gwen. Turning to look at Jason, Gwen saw his cheeks were red and Gwen turned back to Syd with narrowed eyes, smiling nonetheless. Her expression soften however as she looked between both Syd and Roxie. "Thank you guys, for ya know...getting Lorelei the heck out of there. Now you know what you're getting yourselves into, no privacy. Ever." Gwen looked to Jason, wondering if he knew that was what he was getting himself into as well. He seemed to love Lorelei just as much as she did, but she understood that the stress of having a child was a lot to handle.

Roxie chuckled lightly as she nodded her head, "And double the trouble, how are we ever going to manage this?" She asked looking towards Syd as she moved to grab a dish full of sweet potatoes. Conor stood up and started saying what he was thankful for and was soon followed by the rest. Roxie had a lot to be thankful for but she could some it up in a few short sentences. "I'm thankful for a few things," She started, "The chance to be able to live...and the chance to be a better parent than my parents were to me." Roxie looked to Syd and reached up to swipe a crumb from the biscuit Gwen had thrown at him from his face. "I'm certainly grateful for you. I love you."

Gwen looked at the young pair and squeezed Jason's hand. "You two are making my teeth hurt. Too sweet." She murmured before looking to Jason. "I'm thankful that the stars aligned just right for us. And the fact that I've been clean for a full 20 days without too many complications."
with: My bois Pyroclast

Add alcohol and stir!

It had only been a small joke, but Syd refused to control his amusement. The atmosphere was high enough that dipping his toes in hot water wouldn’t be enough to bring it down; Roxie was giggling, too, and even Gwen and Jason couldn’t keep themselves from smiling. The biscuit that hit his face only spurred on his laughter and he picked it up from his lap and bit into it, sending Gwen a mischievous wink.

“Ah, we’ll just have to work together,” he said, through a mouthful of prosciutto. “Not saying I’d want my kids to catch us in the act, but all those embarrassing moments, the tantrums, the tricks and the bad behaviour are all part of the package, and it’s the package I always wanted. Especially now I get to have it with this one.” With a loving smile, he rubbed Roxie’s back as she leaned forward to pick up a dish of sweet potatoes.

Jason caught Gwen’s eye when the subject of children came up. He may have missed 7 years of Lorelei’s life but she was still very young and he knew that he was probably going to end up becoming something of a father figure to her by being with Gwen. Still, it didn’t intimidate him. He was learning from them every day, and Lorelei, with her sweet disposition, made it very easy to care for her. Though he had only known her a short few months, Jason was already deeply attached.

The conversation was soon interrupted when Conor stood up to address the room and prompted everyone to go round expressing what they were thankful for. “Oh, God…” Syd mumbled under his breath, peering over his wine glass as he took a sip. Despite his playful reluctance, however, his mind was already racing with the many things he had to be grateful for. All the mischief in his eyes was quickly replaced with softness as his family spoke of the hardships they had overcome. They had all suffered extremely traumatic events, many escaping death by a hair’s breadth, as well as being hit by numerous losses of loved ones. Syd propped his elbows on the table and rested his head against his hands as he watched Savannah speak. She had been through an obscene amount of trauma, targeted for no reason other than to instil fear in the family. Yet, she was still grateful to be sitting among them. When he saw her reach up to catch a tear, Syd couldn’t stop himself from getting up and marching over to her. He wrapped his arms around her from behind and gave her a tight hug. “We love you, Sav. We’ll always help you.” After holding the hug for a few more seconds, he planted a kiss on the top of her head and made his way back to his seat, giving Olivia a small squeeze on her shoulder as he passed her. The young girl had only recently lost her mother and Syd was impressed with how well she was dealing with it, as well as settling into her new environment. He remembered how hard it was being adopted into a large household at such a young age and so far she was handling it far better than he had.

Once he had reclaimed his seat, Roxie started to speak and Syd knew her words would make him emotional - he was already on the edge. “I love you, too,” he smiled, leaning in to kiss her on the lips. “I’m also thankful that you’re alive. That’s a pretty big one. Oh, God...and so much more…” Syd looked down and shook his head. He didn’t even know where to start. “I wouldn’t be alive if it hadn’t been for my parents. They didn’t give up on me, even after everything, the way I was and all...They’re just the best parents I could have ever hoped for.” His chest tightened as he was made to think back on all the awful things that had happened, and he had to clear his throat. “And Jackson. For, you know, saving my life. And everyone who’s been there for me and continues to...to be there for me. And the kids, for proving you can be still happy even when everything’s shit, and my dogs...” He cleared his throat again before looking up to Roxie with a smile. There was so much to be grateful for he could have gone on and on, but his eyes were already damp with tears so he knew he had to try to keep it brief before he started crying. “And you...you’ve just changed my life. I can see a future now, and I can’t imagine anything better than to spend it with you. Thank you.” Syd slid his arms around her, bringing them into a close embrace. It was hard to get the words out, but he was sure she knew exactly how he felt. With his face more or less out of sight, Syd reached up to pinch the tears from his eyes before anyone could see them fall.

Once he had regained his composure, he let go of Roxie and returned his attention to the mountain of food on his plate. He let out a bashful laugh when Gwen teased the pair for being overly sweet, and shoved a forkful of turkey into his mouth so that she wouldn’t expect a reply.

The whole idea of sharing feelings made Jason uncomfortable. Of course, being oftentimes hot-headed he didn’t always need much prompting to voice how he felt, but this conversation had quickly become more personal than almost any conversation he had ever had. Even with Gwen, it had taken a long time for him to even become open to the idea of sharing his true self with her. Over the past few weeks, Jason had made himself a frequent visitor of the Porter estate and, with everything that had happened to the family in the meantime, he had been able to get quite a close look at how all their drama affected them. He had heard low voices through the cracks in the doors as they tried to keep out of earshot of the children; he had caught glimpses of Lucy with her walls down, letting her tiredness show; he had been silenced by the darkness in Syd’s tear-stained face, his heavy footsteps haunting the halls like a ghost. So used to living alone for the better half of his life, Jason already felt like he knew far too much about the family, and now that they were all so openly expressing their gratitude for each other he felt a new pressure to not only fit in with them, but also to match their candour.

Of course, being an actor, he was able to hide his discomfort, and looked back to Gwen with a warm smile when she told him what she was thankful for. “I’m proud of you, Gwen,” he said, squeezing her hand in return. As much as he wanted to say to her in private, it felt awkward to speak from the heart in front of her family. “And grateful that you’re still here wit’ me. We’ve grown a lot together, you and I, and now I can’t imagine a life without ye. In the months since we found each other again, you’ve made a better man out of me, invited me into your warm, loving family. Shown me what it’s like to have…” He wanted to say ‘love’, but instead he just gestured to the room full of people. “This.”

In spite of Gwen’s warning to Syd and Roxie, privacy mattered far less to Jason now that he had people in his life that he cared about. He was no longer alone, and was quickly discovering how much he enjoyed having a family. Just as he was about to tuck into his food, Syd looked over to him and, only just audible for all food that was in his mouth, said, “What about your family, Jason? Are they back in Ireland?”

For a split second, Jason’s poker face faltered. He quickly took a bite of sweet potato so that he could give himself a moment to think of how to answer. He had always felt like a coward for not telling Gwen the truth, and had hoped for a good time to bring it up ever since the two of them had agreed never to keep secrets from each other. In the company of her family, the timing wasn’t exactly ideal, but Syd had at least given him a way in. With a sigh, Jason finally swallowed his mouthful. “No, they’re, uh…” Already he found himself silenced by his guilt. Gwen was surely expecting nothing but for him to say that he didn’t have a family at all. Jason cleared his throat and began to cut up more of the food on his plate, trying to keep up as casual an appearance as he could. “They’re here in New York, actually. I think.”

“What do you mean? Didn’t you already have Thanksgiving with them, then?” Syd innocently pressed, before raising a teasing eyebrow at the man. “Is this your second dinner of the day?!”

Jason let a glimmer of amusement show on his face at Syd’s last question. “This is actually my first Thanksgiving meal ever.” He turned to Gwen with a small smile and then looked back down to his food before clearing his throat. “And, uh...I haven’t seen them for 27 year.”

Queen of Melanin

Ali started helping Leo fill his plate up with food before she started her own. Sometimes he had a big appetite and others he didn't, so she made sure he didn't eat too much throughout the day. He also had a habit of trying to eat things he didn't like, as if he were trying to force himself to eat it. For example, the butternut squash. Every single time he saw it, he was gungho for it but when it touched his tongue? Aliana always had to put it in her hand and dump it somewhere. Before the two of them had a chance to go through this ridiculousness, Conor stood up to give his own little speech. The dreaded "What are you thankful for?" just had to come from her husband, didn't it? Internally she groaned, always hating that sappy part of the 'holiday'. Taking a sip of her wine, she watched as he told the family how grateful he was to be back with Leo and herself. To be honest, those years without him had been some of the hardest. Dealing with her emotions, her drinking, raising Leo during his temper tantrum stage, it was all a lot. Granted, she had her mother at the house to immediately help her and the support of her sister in laws, but it wasn't helping. There were always moments where she wanted it all to just be over but she knew she couldn't allow that to happen.

Coming back to earth, she looked at her husband and smiled. "Thank you baby, we're glad you're home." Leo looked up with a huge grin and his face and nodded his head. "Yeah! There's too many girls around and mom never lets me eat her special ice cream." Aliana just shook her head and listened to her family speak about things that they were grateful for and the scene warmed her heart. Everyone was so happy and at peace, even of she knew this wasn't going to last that long. She wasn't being negative, she was being realistic and basing her thoughts on the past year and everything that went on. Every time she thought things were going to be peaceful it would blow up. But, this wasn't the time to think about any of that, right? Right now she was surrounded by family. The ones that didn't escape to St. Barts like her parents, but the ones that accepted her with open arms. She listened to everyone speaking as they all went around the room. Savvy seemed to be doing a little better with everything that was going on, which was a relief. It meant she was going to be okay and this wasn't going to change her for the worst, but for the best. Glancing over to Syd and Roxie, they looked happy despite everything they had been through. Gwen seemed to be doing better after her overdose and also looking happy with Jason. All that happiness was enough to make her cheeks hurt from all the smiling she was doing.

When it was her turn, she was mid sip from her glass and finished before looking around. "Yikes," she said clearing her throat. "I have to do this part don't I? Well, I am grateful for a lot. My two boys for one." She rubbed her hand through Leo's hair, much to his protest. "I am grateful for this big family and the support, of course. I'm very glad Lucy didn't kill Roxie and gave her a chance. You really do make my nephew happy." She was sincere about Syd's newfound happiness, seeing as he went through the worst things in life. While she had been momentarily skeptical of the girl, she always thought Roxie was nice for Syd. Seeing now that she's had nothing but a positive impact on her nephew, she truly was happy Lucy didn't kill or have her killed. "I'm grateful to be apart of a family who bounces back from any and everything." She said, though it was a comment slightly aimed at Gwen and her recent overdose she wanted it also apply to everything else. "And for crying out loud I'm SUPER grateful for spas and wine." Looking at Roxie, she raised her glass up, "You'll be grateful for that too once the kids start walking." ​

The All-Powerful Enzyme!

After the hectic month the Porters had endured; the happy atmosphere was more than refreshing. Searching the sea of faces, not a single one was absent of a smile. Leaning back in his seat, Jackson cocked back the glass of Irish Rum as he looked past the plethora of wooden chairs to check up on his daughter. She looked complacent, chatting away with Emery. He couldn't help the soft smile creeping upon his lips. He was so lucky to be involved with such a welcoming family, and he did not doubt that their love for him would translate over to his daughter. As a kid, he was born without an identity, and he was thrilled that Natasha wouldn't share a similar story. Natasha would get the chance to grow up in an extraordinary tribe, and there was no better comfort for a father than the knowledge that his kid would be taken care of, even if something happened to him.

He returned his attention back to the family members around him as Conor called him out for being a lazy sod. "Fuckin' hell, mate. I don't have a lot of support, you're supposed to be on my side," Jackson chuckled, taking another sip from the tall mug. When Conor confirmed that the day would be all about eating and drinking, Jackson gave a steady, contempt nod. If this was it, it was more than welcomed. He had spent so many stressful nights out and about, that he'd actually lost a tremendous amount of weight. Even if it weren't noticeable, he could feel the energy lacking, like a punctured fuel tank. With the pile of steaming food in front of him, he was ready to stuff himself until his belt buckle busted.

Before he could get a fork in, he felt Conor beside him shoot up from his chair. As he'd expected, there was a little bit more to the day than what met the eye. He was familiar with Thanksgiving's tagline, so it came to no surprise that there'd be some sort of grace involved. The amusement on his face was visible, as he could see the younger crowd internally groan from the thought of speaking on the spot. The luxurious part of being on the older side of the family was that anything they said was practically law and judgment-free. Instead of his mind racing to formulate a coherent speech, he grabbed the large serving spoon and began loading up his plate with mash potatoes.

He wasn't sure if he was supposed to wait for the speeches to end before eating, but the growl in his stomach guided his hand to the fork. He was certain that if he was breaking some sort of unspoken rule, he'd feel Blake's heel jabbing him in the leg. Until then, the food was scolding hot and he was going to enjoy it, purely out of respect for Lucy's hard work of course.

The speeches were short and sweet, all stitched with genuine appreciation, which came to Jackson's surprise. Savannah, with her heart of gold, gave a touching reminder of the importance of family and opportunities they aligned for each other. Jackson also hadn't missed Syd's mention, and chuckled to Conor, "I think I'm just always in the right place at the right time." While he went on enjoying his meal, his senses rang through the savory turkey and noted something was off. The talking had died down. As he looked up from his plate, he was met with a wall of eyes. Shit. He quickly dropped the fork from his hand and went to dab his mouth with the napkin on his lap.

"Well, comin' from Ireland, most of us aren't really vocal about our appreciation much, beyond a clear day and a cold pint. It's not that we aren't appreciative, it's more that us Irish lads get so caught up livin' in the moment that we don't really know what the hells goin' on around us or even how bloody old we've gotten. Although, our wonderful, beautiful wives our quick to remind us," he chuckled. "I bet my Cresta if James took a second to look around, he'd have no bloody idea where he was. Now that I think of it," he turned in his chair, looking out the window, "It's New York, in'nit?" His smile quickly returned, as he shook his head. "In all seriousness, I'm thankful for the same things you all are; the food on the table, courtesy of our lovely host - the line of work that we get to call a job, and for the amazing people sitting at this table." His raised glass moved to James, at the head of the table. "As fun as it is to give him a hard time, it's a better time than any to single him out. We say it a lot, but we don't say it enough - it's all thanks to you, mate. Without you, we wouldn't be sitting here." With that, he took a sip from his glass, concluding his speech. "And I guess Kevlar. That's made all our jobs a lot easier and for some, a bit harder."

Things and Stuff

It would have been easy to stay upstairs with his own thoughts, but Lucy had made it clear enough they were to be present for Thanksgiving. In all honesty, James knew he wouldn't have skipped it anyway, even if there had been a fleeting thought of pretending to have slept through the whole event. Those who knew him were aware by now he found it easy to address their enemies with a level head and assertiveness, or even to be stuck in risky or violent situations. What most also knew, however, was that one of the most uncomfortable situations for him was standing up to give a speech in front of his family and friends. He'd already done so during Warren's funeral service, though the serious circumstances made that somehow easier. The present situation was far more awkward for him, but thankfully Lucy had been more than willing to give this year's Thanksgiving speech to take the weight off his shoulders, just this once.

James looked to Lucy with a loving admiration in his eyes as she spoke to everyone around the table. Once she had finished and sat back down, James gently squeezed her shoulder before leaning in and placing a kiss on her lips. He then released his hand and started to fill his plate with food. "Looks good, Luce. If you were trying to burn the house down to get out of treating us all to this feast next year, it ain't going to work, love," he teased her. When Conor stood up and began speaking, James knew straight away what was about to be asked of everyone. "Ah, Jeez..." he grumbled, before planting on a cooperative smile so as not to discourage nearby Thomas or Leo from joining in.

It was warming to hear everyone speak up about what they were grateful for. It reminded James of the big family he had, especially compared to how he'd been just a short time before falling for Lucy. Up until then, he'd been, as Vinnie Romano once put it himself "a waste of space". Carrying out the jobs Emmet handed him without a second thought for the goon whose life he was indiscriminately extinguishing. Returning to his empty home once in a while for a recharge, with nobody around to call family. Things had changed a whole lot since then, between marrying into the Sullivan family and gradually reconnecting with his own blood relatives. It was hard to think he'd spent a whole chunk of his life expecting to die young and alone. The family and friends now around the table were certainly the better outcome. They might have brought with them a lot more stress in his work through having to protect them, but James wouldn't change having this big and close family around him, not for anything.

There were Conor and Aliana finally reunited, happy to be able to raise Leo together. Syd was looking the happiest James had seen him for some time, finally seeming content with Roxie and the children they were due to have. Gwen was happy with Jason and Lorelei at either side of her, hopefully the love they all shared for each other would motivate her to keep clean. It was concerning how close James had come to losing Gwen on the same day Warren had been killed. Savannah had been through a lot recently, yet she was still happy to be with the family whose business had led her into those dangers. She would have been well within her rights to blame him and to reject her family, but despite the very different path she craved, she loved her family unconditionally. James couldn't help but feel a sadness as Olivia spoke, knowing she'd lost both of her parents. Knowing how much she wanted to live with him and Lucy soon brought an encouraging smile to his face. He knew both he and Lucy would care for her, the same way they had looked after Syd and Thomas. It wasn't blood that made everyone around the table family and blood didn't affect how much James cared for his children.

As Jackson spoke up, James could help but smile as he listened. That expression soon turned to one of dread as Jackson singled him out. His cheeks reddened as the man thanked him. Following Warren's death and the exchanging of power, James had started to question if he'd failed those around him. Jackson's words and the sentiments from the others around the table forced him to reconsider such doubts.

With the attention now on him, James knew he couldn't get out of speaking. There was so much to be grateful for but he'd been struggling past a barrier. It felt very wrong to be happy to be alive, considering his life had come at the cost of Warren's. Chance timing, just mere seconds, had been what determined which of the two brothers died that day. James couldn't celebrate his survival, but he knew he could celebrate what the living world did have to offer him. "I'm grateful for everything right now, in this moment. My beautiful wife, my kids and future granddaughters. Our extended family and friends. I might not be the best at showing it, especially not when my head is so often buried in the business, but I'm the luckiest man in the world to have all of you people around me," he assured them. He paused, a very brief reminder his mother's side of the family would no doubt never want to share a table with him again. He cleared his throat and shook off the negative thoughts. "Luce and Warren... I know they wanted me to step down from the business, to finally have a rest and spend time with our family. So with that, I'm also grateful to Conor for agreeing to take my place. Along with Aliana, Jackson, and the rest of you, who I know will support him, as will I. And Mitch..." James said, looking to the lawyer by his side. "Thank you for staying so patient and busting your balls to help get Conor out of jail." He forced himself to hold back a sarcastic remark about him doing it with good intentions, as opposed to Maddox. "Allright. Come on, who hasn't had their turn yet? Help me out here..." he said, trying to brush the attention away from himself.

Yes, I put pineapple on pizza. Sue me.

Peter's stomach was growling almost a little too loudly as everyone sat down at the table and Lucy stood to give her speech. When it was finally time to dig in, Peter looked to Sinead and helped her get what she wanted before starting to pile food onto his own plate. Sinead asked how Finn and George were and Peter listened with interest. "Oh you know how it is at the hospital, Sin. All work no play. But I am grateful for the time that I have off to spend with Georgie." Finn murmured as he turned to his partner before planting a kiss on his cheek. Peter smiled mischievously at George, "Didn't think you would be sitting here all these years later, did ya George?" He teased before helping himself to a heaping pile of mash potatoes.

Finn chuckled softly at Peter's comment and looked to George with admiration in his eyes, "Hell, I don't think any of us could have predicted where we are now compared to back in Dublin." He murmured before moving to grab the wine bottle to his right. "You want some love?" Finn asked as he filled his glass up a little too high. Peter's attention was turned away from the men as Sinead asked him a question. A smile played on the man's lips as he nodded his head gently. "Almost too perfect to be real." He said lightly. Given everything that had been happening in recent months had really damaged the family more than they would all care to admit.

Conor interrupted his thoughts as he stood up and announced what he was grateful for. Peter's cheeks turned pink at the thought of having to publicly say what he was thankful for but this was family. Luckily, all the attention turned to James as Jackson said that he was thankful for the man and Peter raised an eyebrow at his brother-in-law, he was redder than a tomato and Peter bit his bottom lip to keep from laughing at him. It was sweet hearing the man be so sentimental but soon he wanted the attention off of him so Peter cleared his throat. "I'll take it from here, Jimbo!" He said to James before looking to his family and Sinead. "I don't think I ever said this before, but I think now is the right time to say how I really feel about my family." He paused, taking Sinead's hand in his before kissing it gently. "I'm so thankful that I was given the chance to guard this little lady right here," Turning his head, he looked to Savannah, "And my little baby Savvy." He murmured softly. "Like some at this table, having a family like this was only a dream for me. So bringing the attention back to James...sorry lad, I am grateful for you playing matchmaker unintentionally allowing to me to meet the love of my life and have 3 beautiful children, who are no doubt embarrassed that I'm saying this." Finn looked to Peter with a warm smile before looking to George. "You know what I'm thankful for everyone? I'm thankful that my family is so accepting of Georgie and I, because you would not believe the harassment that I've had to deal with at the hospital. I'm also very happy that Georgie and Peter ended up in the same cell...for we would have never met." Finn shifted in his seat, grabbing a small box from his pocket before placing it down on the table in front of George. "I know legally, we can't get married. But what good is a piece of paper anyway, right?"

Finn's heart pounded in his chest, his family was accepting of them and that kept him going as he shifted in his seat. "So what do you say Georgie, will you let me make you the happiest man on earth?"

Add alcohol and stir!

Just as she had hoped, Gabriel offered Tatiana the opportunity to return to Miami to keep up the business. All the memories that she had just rifled through became more vivid, more animated, and her eyes lit up as she imagined it all come to life; trading concrete for sand, grey skies for blue, pollution for the fresh ocean air. Tatiana did her best to conceal her excitement so that her father wouldn’t think she was considering it a holiday. She took her business seriously and as much as she intended to make the most of her time in her favourite city, she wasn’t going to lose sight of the duties she had been set.

Filtering allies piqued her interest; the study of people, their behaviour and psychology interested her greatly so it was always a fun challenge to work out who was a worthwhile affiliate. Of course, that always came with the responsibility to handle those who failed to prove their worth. As Gabriel pointed out her demonstrated capabilities to kill on his orders, to be handed the task of judging that for herself felt like a generous and thrilling promotion. With a small smirk, Tatiana raised an eyebrow at his reference to what she might get up to in her free time. The very thought of having free time spent away from her family was exciting to her - no one watching over her, no one to explain herself to, no one expecting her to come home. “Thank you, papa,” she said with a confident smile, partly amused at his uncomfortable acknowledgement of her vibrant and at times promiscuous lifestyle. “You can count on me to do as you would. I’ll only report what you need to hear.”

Teddy’s entrance wasn’t enough to break Tatiana from her dreamy state, and her eyes were still shining when she looked up at him. However, she had to leave it to Gabriel to set the tone of the conversation. Ever since he had given up valuable information to the Irish Mob to save his own life, Teddy had been walking on thin ice. Tatiana liked the man as much as the rest of them, but she had to view him through the lens of the business instead of letting her personal feelings get in the way. His controversial handling of the situation with the Porters had left him with something to prove and she knew there was no point in being soft on him.

There wasn’t much time for pleasantries before they dived into the heavy matter of Teddy’s current status. Gabriel wasn’t one to hold back. Nevertheless, despite his direct manner and intimidating choice of words, Teddy didn’t hesitate to deliver a suggestion. Tatiana narrowed her eyes at him, hoping for his sake that he would come up with something good enough. “Teddy, you sound so sure,” she remarked, rolling her glass of brandy between her fingers. “Haven’t we made ourselves known to them as their greatest rivals by now? Even if they don’t know for sure who made the hit, you’d be a fool to think they haven’t pinned us as their main suspect. After everything that happened a month ago, we have to be careful we don’t underestimate them.” As she took a swig from her glass, she sent the man a small smile to show that she wasn’t against him, but merely making a point. She hoped that her father wouldn’t take offense at her suggestion that the Irish Mob were more powerful than they had initially demonstrated - but it was definitely how she viewed it. As much as she would have liked to continue, Tatiana knew that it wasn’t up to her to openly judge his plan until her father had given his verdict.

Things and Stuff

Ethan grinned as Alistair spoke of the things he was grateful for, certain the man wasn't quite taking the meaning of the holiday seriously either. He followed the other man's instruction and turned his head so he could look beyond the apartment and out onto the city beneath them. There was something beautiful in the way the rain poured down and created a faint haze which the bright city lights still managed to fight their way through. Like the rain pouring over the city, no amount of washing could remove the dirt from the streets, not when it was so deeply ingrained into the very foundations of New York. Ethan was grateful for that fact. He knew he was a part of the problem, just as his enemies were, but a clean city would be a boring one and there would be nothing of interest to him in that kind of world.

Alistair spoke of what he was truly thankful for, pointing out how they were the backbone of a superficial city. "I agree with you there," Ethan spoke up as the other man paused to take a drink. He then let out a dry chuckle as Alistair admitted their enemies were what kept him going. Once again, Ethan found himself on the same wavelength as his boss, both clearly motivated and content by their battles. Whilst he suspected the same couldn't be said for the Porters, or to some extent even Gabriel, what Ethan believed made him equipped to enjoy the battle was the fact he had nothing to lose. The prospect of gaining power and excitement massively outweighed the big possibility of him or anyone he cared about dying in the process.

Ethan allowed a smile to remain on his features as he considered how both he and Alistair enjoyed their roles within the city and against the mob. The smile left his face when Alistair asked him what he wanted and what he missed from his old life. There was no sadness or surprise on his face at the questions, merely the return to a more stoic expression.

"Without a doubt I want to watch the Irish lot drown in their own blood," he casually commented. His fight with them had started back when Jack Sullivan had been running New York. "One by one they continue to fall. Jack, Liam and Arlene Sullivan have all perished, wiping out Jack's little group. I want to be a part of the same happening to the families of Emmet Sullivan's offspring and James Porters' lot too. And, as much as I will enjoy that, for as long as I can remember, the Irish have been running this city. I want to see New York under someone else's control. The Sullivans and Porters have infested the streets for long enough." Whether or not the Morettis were a more preferable power remained to be seen, but Ethan was keen to be a part of the power shift and to be fighting on the winning side.

Ethan was fully aware of the question about what he missed from his old life and he wasn't going to ignore the question, not if it could lead Alsitair to believing there was any kind of regret on that front. "It depends on which part of my old life we're talking about. When I was a kid and a teenager, I was a part of this city's criminal activities. My dad had me out helping him con people back when I was a child. The crimes got more significant as I got older. I used to be his muscle then, be it as his back-up or literally his muscle, winning fights for profits." There wasn't a time in his life that Ethan could remember feeling bad for depriving, torturing or killing others. The inclination had seemed to always be within him. "When the old bastard walked out on the family, I was left looking after my mother and sisters. That's when I met Rose." The only woman he'd loved was a criminal herself, but she steered him away from the desire to kill and torture others. "That part of my life was perhaps a taster of normality, or more accurately a "blip" along the true path of my life. Rose worked at the time, but that life was never meant to be. Everything from the past, be it pleasant or not, was there to bring be to where I am now. Although I don't miss it and wish for it to remain the past, it served its purpose."

Ethan took a long drink from his own glass, feeling a thirst after talking more about himself than he normally would. He placed the glass down and raised a curious eyebrow to Alistair. "Would it be worthwhile me firing those same questions at you? Any old times you miss?"

Things and Stuff

George couldn't help but feel a strong sense of happiness and belonging as he sat at the dinner table surrounded by Finn's family. He'd never experienced a room so full of love and appreciation than he did in that moment. George's own family had never provided that for him. Even before he ended up in prison, his entire life had been under constant judgement and nitpicking by his parents. He had been 20 when he started his relationship with Emily and though he loved her greatly, he knew even then that something had been missing. His parents practically forced him into proposing to Emily and a hopeful part of George had only hoped that his wedding night would show him his love for Emily was romantic love and not just that of a strong friendship. The wedding never happened, as George was arrested for high-level fraud, then later sentenced to 10 years in prison. Although he lost Emily and his parents disowned him, George would always have some gratitude for his time in prison. It was there he learned of his attraction to men, before eventually forming a friendship with Peter and through him meeting Finn. After his release from prison, George briefly reconnected with his parents but he was soon rejected for the last time when he told them he was gay. George had felt like everything he'd believed for much of his life had been flipped over. His supposedly forgiving and by appearances a perfect family were nothing more judgemental bigots. Meanwhile, the Irish Mob, a gang that had been feared in Dublin and spoke of harshly amongst other prison inmates, had proved to be the best part of George's life. Finn and Peter were two of the best men George knew. In the presence of the whole family now, he was reminded their family also had love and kindness within them. It was difficult to imagine them being a family so many feared and hated.

George smiled to Sinead and Peter as Finn answered the redhead's question. When Finn kissed him on the cheek, George turned to look at his love. "And I'm certainly glad you could get the time off," he replied, sending Finn a loving gaze. His attention was then drawn back to Peter as the man addressed him. George couldn't help but let out a small laugh as he quickly shook his head. "This is a vast difference to the life I kept imagining for myself whilst I was in that prison cell," he confirmed to Peter. George looked back to Finn and softly thanked the man as he filled his wine glass for him. "Ah, you're the best, Dr. Sullivan," he thanked him.

As Peter began to speak up about what he was thankful for, Sinead watched her husband with admiration. Her mind was briefly cast back to when they first met and how Peter had been employed as her bodyguard. Her family had always been supportive during her grieving, when Savannah's biological father had been killed, but Sinead believed Peter had played a huge part in saving her in that time. Not only did she fall deeply in love with him, but the way he adored and cared for Savannah showed how amazing a man he was. He helped Sinead keep fighting when she'd been close to giving up. He always did.

"You're right, Dad. So bloody embarrassing!" Emery called out, but soon softened up with a smile. "Love you, really!" Meanwhile, Savannah had remained silent, sending Peter a gentle smile as she listened to him. Peter had always been in her life and he'd always been her father. She hoped she told him enough how much she loved him and appreciated everything he did for her.

Sinead smiled brightly as Peter spoke, holding back the happy tears that were building up. "Oh, Petey, that so beautiful," she told him. "I'm so thankful for every single one of you here. You've all brought love and hope to this family in some way. This family is the most amazing family, so no matter what happens outside of this house, I'm sure we all know there's always someone here we can come to for help in escaping the darkness to be held by the light. I've said it many times and sometimes people roll they eyes at me, but you should never deny your heart. As long as you let love in, you will have hope and strength." Sinead briefly held Peter's hand underneath the table. "I'm grateful for Peter and my children, as well as everyone else around this table. And even though not everyone can be here today, I am grateful for the memories and experiences I got to share with our lost love ones. They would all want us to keep going and to get the best out of life," she concluded. Whether grief was fresh, such as that for Warren, or further in the past, such as for Skye or Emmet, Sinead knew those still alive had to keep living and cherish the good memories.

As Finn then spoke of what he was thankful for, George looked to the man. A shy smile crossed his lips as it was mentioned how the family had been so accepting of George. It was always upsetting to hear when Finn was hurting after some of the harassment he received from his colleagues at the hospital. George had grown used to it and learned to expect it after the bullying he'd received during his prison time, but that was prison. Finn was doing a job he loved and caring for his patients, yet people still found time to be prejudiced and judgemental towards the good man. George turned to Peter and nodded. "You definitely topped my favourite cellmates list!" he confirmed.

it seemed Finn wasn't done yet, so George turned back to him in time to see him place a small box on the table in front of him. A puzzled expression took over the man's face but before he could speak, Finn proposed to him. George placed his hand to his mouth, holding back any initial urge to shout out with excitement. Instead, holding in his vocal reaction only led to his emotions escaping out of his eyes in the form of tears. George nodded his head and moved his hand away from his mouth. "Of course I will! You've already made me the happiest man on Earth, so I've got a lot of work to do to beat that..." he began to ramble. He then looked back to the box, realising he hadn't even opened it yet. When he did, he saw the beautiful gold engagement ring Finn have given to him. George carefully took it from the box and placed it on his finger, smiling as it fit him well. Even without the ring, the answer had been yes, but he felt it needed reaffirming. "Yes, Finn! Yes, of course I will," he excitedly told him. George stood up, waiting for Finn to do the same, before pulling him in close for a tight hug and pressing a kiss against his lips. For once, it didn't matter that others were around. They didn't have to hide their love in front of Finn's family. Well, George supposed they were his family by now too!

"Oh my God! This is so exciting!" Sinead exclaimed, clapping her hands together. She turned to Lucy and James. "You could host an amazing wedding right here," she suggested, already imagining a ceremony for the two men. Piece of paper or not, Sinead believed they deserved a wedding.

Things and Stuff

Gabriel sat back in his seat and folded his arms at his chest as Teddy spoke about fine-tuning some information before presenting it to him. As the younger man finished his drink, Gabriel kept his eyes fixed on him like a hawk. As the man mentioned finding out the key players in the Porters' drug game, Gabriel raised a curious eyebrow. He'd already been focusing some time on the Cubans before coming to the conclusion they would be the most difficult of the Porters' suppliers to sway to their side. As such, he was more than interested to find out what Teddy claimed to know about the other key players in the Irish Mob's business.

Gabriel allowed his daughter to speak first, nodding along as she questioned Teddy's information and pointed out the Porters remained powerful, despite their recent losses. "This second in command, what's his name and what is it you've both been discussing?" the Italian pressed for more details. He leaned forward and tapped his fingertips on the coffee table. "I want you to give me all of the information you've found. Names, addresses, secure locations..." Gabriel commanded. "I would like to take a closer look at the information you've found. And yes, I would like to take over from here," Gabriel told him. "Should the details check out and prove useful, rest assured it won't slip my mind who gave it to me. I'm sure it would work in your favour," he assured him.

Gabriel refilled everyone's glasses before taking a sip of brandy from his own. "For now, I need you to pack your case, Theodore," Gabriel revealed, carefully placing his glass down on the table. "There is business which needs dealing with back in Miami. I need our associates to consider branching out to this city, securing trade between the profitable businesses in Miami and New York. This assignment could also tie into the information you've been gathering. The fact Miami sits considerably closer Cuba, yet it's the Irish they're doing business with, that does not sit well with me. The Porter hotels and casinos in Havana, not to mention the other agreements. I'm certain we can provide better than what the Porters have been, and in return we would be able to bargain with the Cubans." Gabriel cleared his throat. "I have a list of business that needs carrying out in Miami. Some of which requires a man of persuasion and charm to ensure our associates are still firmly in alliance with us, because they can help bridge the gap we continue to have with the Cubans. Consider this your second chance, Theodore, because I know you're popular with my men in Miami and I need you to use that charm of yours to ensure our relations remain strong. Tatiana and Tony will be joining you, along with a few more of my men. If anything happens there that I should know about, rest assured I will find out," he reminded him. "You've got a couple of days to get your things together, but I'm going to need you all to remain in Miami for two or three months," he admitted. "Are you up for the challenge, Theodore?" He expected the man would be, because to refuse him now would practically be suicide.

Yes, I put pineapple on pizza. Sue me.

Everyone was going around the table saying what they were thankful for and Lucy's heart couldn't have been more full. The attention was bounced around the table before finally landing on James to which Lucy knew her husband wasn't much of a public speaker. He was good at it of course, he just didn't like the spotlight on him. Regardless of that, Lucy listened with a warm smile on her face as he said what he was thankful for. She nodded along, feeling truly blessed to have the full support of everyone at the table. The transition of power was tricky but everyone was working through it marvelously, as Lucy secretly knew they would. The mention of Warren made Lucy look to her lap, the feelings that day they lost him were trying to creep into her chest but she shoved them aside. They had lost a lot of people in the last 22 years. Before she could get too caught up in those type of thoughts, the spotlight was taken off of James as Peter and Sinead spoke up, then Finn who shocked the entire table by pulling out a ring box and asked George to marry him. Lucy's hands went to her mouth as she squealed excitedly for them. Sinead suggested that they do the wedding at the house and Lucy nodded her head excitedly, "Of course!" She said happily, "Do you know how long I've been waiting for this?!" She asked Finn who laughed softly before taking the ring out and slipping it on George's finger.
Finn stood up as George and him shared a kiss, Lucy prompted the applause and everything felt so perfect in that moment. With red cheeks, Finn looked to the table before sitting back down with George. "Okay, who's next?" He cheekily asked and Lucy raised her hand. "I mean, I already said something but I just want to say that without you all here to eat my food, I would literally have nothing else to do." She said chuckling gently. "And, and! I just want to say, I've never seen ANY of you this happy before, which just makes my heart soar. Okay okay, I'm done." Lucy murmured before sitting down and planting a kiss on James' cheek. Thomas made a noise of disgust as he looked to Leo. "I'm thankful that I don't have to deal with girls. Just the bratty cousins." He said to Leo with a snicker before grabbing his biscuit and narrowed his eyes at Syd who was across the table, clearly paying attention to what Gwen and Jason were saying. "Dare me to throw this at him?" Thomas asked Leo in a whisper, giving a sideways glance at his mother and then at Ali beside Leo. "I've got a clear shot."Misty Gray
; Melanin-Gxdess

Braden Callahan
Lorelei Bryant Natasha McCarthy ​

Braden wasn't much of a talker, his whole family knew that, fortunately for him, it wasn't his turn to say anything so he silently piled food on his plate, only looking to Samson as he let out a small whimper beside him. "Aren't you going to give the good boy something?" Lorelei asked from across the table and Braden let out a laugh, "I guess I can, but I'm afraid Aunt Lucy might kick us both out if she sees." He murmured to the girl before turning and dropping a piece of ham discreetly on the floor beside him. The dogs had a keen sense of smell and before Braden knew it he was surrounded by the pack. Wide eyed, Braden pretended not to see him. His sisters were thankful for what he was also thankful for and Emery looked to Natasha who was just as quiet as Braden. The girl opened her mouth to say something but luckily the adults at the other end of the table stole the show before she had the chance to say anything, so she stuffed her face full of stuffing to keep from speaking.

Braden understood the kid greatly, "Let her work her way up to it, Em. She'll say something when she's ready." Finn and George getting engaged brought a smile to Braden's face as he raised his glass to them before taking a sip of his drink. "You know what I'm thankful?" He asked his sisters and the little girls at the table. "Beer." His tone was teasing, "And of course, my family who I only like to see on occasion because when we all get together it's like a mad house." Turning to Emery, he shoved his glass of beer towards her. "Don't tell mum." He told her seriously before his parents both turned their attention towards them. "Shit." He hissed, looking down at his plate as both of them embarrassed the three of them.

The excitement of the engagement seemed to dim down enough that little Natasha found herself clearing her throat. "I like being here." She said, looking to Emery with wide eyes. "I've never had this many friends before, except Mr. Snuggles, but I left him upstairs." Lorelei looked excitedly at Natasha, "I've never heard you talk so much!" She said with her mouth full to which Gwen had to give her the stink eye. Taking the hint, Lorelei closed her mouth and chewed it all before swallowing and speaking again. "Is Mr. Snuggles a stuffed animal?" Lorelei asked Natasha to which the little girl nodded her head quickly, "He's a cat. Mummy got him for me because we can't have one. It makes her sneeze."Misty Gray

Things and Stuff

Conor sent Aliana a loving smile when she said she and Leo were glad to have him home. He then chuckled as Leo mentioned there being too many girls without Conor and the easy accessibility to the ice-cream as being good reasons to have his dad home. "Ah, there's nothing wrong with girls, mate. I had to grow up with Luce and Tinkerbell in the same house, but I survived it. Little Miss Tantrum over there used to have me dressing up in tutus and tiaras," he said, pointing to Sinead, "but look at me now. I think I pull off this suit just as well as a princess dress," he joked.

Conor listened as Aliana began to speak of what she was thankful for, taking some amusement in knowing he'd put some of his family on the spot. Emmet had done the same back when Conor was a teenager and he remembered some of the family squirming then too. It was only right he followed tradition by stepping up to put everyone on the spot now. Conor looked towards Syd and Roxie when Aliana expressed how glad she was that Lucy gave Roxie a chance. It was terrifying how close Syd had come to killing himself, saved by Jackson showing up when he had. Then his nephew was faced with the prospect of losing Roxie and their unborn babies. Maddox's part in Syd's unravelling and then the help he'd provided since were what kept Conor conflicted about how to deal with the counsellor once and for all. It also felt like a wedge remained between him and his nephew. But for now, Conor was simply glad Syd, Roxie and their twins were all safe. Even if his relationship with Syd never returned to how it had been before, Conor would take comfort from knowing he was happy.

When his wife finished speaking, Conor gazed into her eyes and flashed a soft smile. "Love you, babe," he told her. Conor's head then turned so he could listen to another love of his life speak - his good friend, Jackson. The man spoke about Ireland and the way of life there, causing Conor to turn away and look past the others, somewhere in the direction of the opposite wall. It was no secret for those closest to him that he missed life back in Dublin. To Conor, New York lacked heart and soul. Despite the bad patch the family experienced back in Dublin, it always felt more like home. There was a community spirit, being able to chat to anyone as he walked down the Irish streets each morning. In contrast, everything seemed so impersonal when walking through the streets of Manhattan. Realising he was getting lost in his thoughts, Conor snapped himself out of it and turned back to Jackson, grinning as his friend directed them to look out of the windows towards the big city.

As the focus shifted towards the area Sinead and Finn were seated in, Conor perked up as he expected something sickly sweet to come from who he considered two of the most wholesome family members. Finn certainly didn't disappoint as he proceeded to propose to George. A broad smile took over Conor's face as he watched the scene unfold. Having been close to Finn for much of their lives, he'd watched the doctor suffer through loss and heartbreak. To see him so happy and in love was the best feeling. Conor rushed out of his seat and motioned for the freshly engaged couple to stand up. He gave each of them a tight hug as he congratulated them. "What a top night, everyone!" Conor called out, clearly enjoying the positivity of the day. He knew outside of the day's celebrations things were far from good, but for one day, they were able to focus on each other and the best parts of their lives. Conor returned to his seat, the smile lingering on his face as he couldn't help but get high on the atmosphere of it all.

Conor proceeded to finish off the food on his plate. Although he'd eaten through a mountain of food, he still found himself looking to the centre of the table to see if there was more going spare for a second helping. As he did, he caught sight of Thomas whispering into Leo's ear, clearly plotting something with his partner in crime. After making note that the boys had finished eating most of their dinner, Conor decided against pestering Leo to keep eating. The kid seemed to have done better with his meal than he normally would so Conor saw no need to nag. Figuring whatever the boys were up to wouldn't be malicious, Conor shifted his discreet attention from them and turned to Jackson. He placed his arm across the back of his friend's chair and leaned in to quietly address him. "What's that surprise you mentioned, eh?"

Yes, I put pineapple on pizza. Sue me.

Blake had escaped while the women were frantically putting dinner together, not wanting to be apart of that shit show, she had a few cigarettes outside on the back porch just taking in the rain. When dinner was ready, Blake stubbed out her last cigarette before turning to walk inside the house. Sitting next to Aliana, Blake looked to her daughter taking a seat next to Emery down at the other end of the table and smiled. She had been successfully forcing her baby to interact with the other children and she seemed to be getting along nicely with all of them. Jackson sat beside Conor and Blake chuckled as her husband suggested they have feast like this a few nights a week at home. "Only if your cooking them, dear." She said with a teasing smile on her lips. Lucy's speech was soon over and Blake clapped along with the rest before Conor stood up and started to say what he was thankful for. Blake scrunched her nose in distaste at having to say her thanks out loud but luckily, other people spoke up before her. Jackson went, and so did Aliana and soon it was just Blake who needed to say a few words. "Uh...shoot." She murmured, looking to her husband for a moment before giving him a soft smile. Conor had shared a few words with him in a hush tone, which made her eyebrows raise slightly. "I'm thankful for my husband, our little girl...and this family who knows secrets aren't allowed at the dinner table." She said in a pointed tone, looking Jackson dead on.

"I'm thankful Natasha has little friends to play with and that she's blooming into independence." Blake lifted her wine glass before taking a sip, still staring at Jackson as she wondered what the heck him and Conor were whispering like school girls about. "What do you think they're up to?" Blake asked Ali, turning her head to look at the woman.
with: Conor Misty Gray
; Jackson Enzyme
; Ali Melanin-Gxdess
............

Syd stood up to hug Savvy and Roxie turned to her friend with a warm smile on her face. "You should come stay at the house with us once in a while, Sav." Roxie murmured to her as she took the woman's hand. "It's no fun living with a boy." She teased Syd before giving Savvy a serious look. "I may be shaped like a beach ball now but don't you forget that I'm always here for you and literally just a phone call away. I'll haul my ass to you in a heartbeat." After saying her piece on what she was thankful for, Syd sat back down and turned to her. He looked emotional already and Roxie took both of his hands in hers as he kissed her. Hearing all the things that he was grateful for made Roxie's eyes tear up slightly as well, having to force them away by blinking multiple times. He finished by saying that he could see his future and Roxie really took that to heart. Looking around the table for a slight second, she took in a deep breath before composing herself with a smile. Before she could say much more on the subject, Aliana caught her attention as she stated that she was happy that Lucy hadn't killed her, which caused Roxie to stiffen slightly. Her eyes looked to the Matriarch of the table for a moment and wondered if that was what she really wanted to do, or if Ali was just making a joke. But regardless, Roxie softened as Ali said that she made Syd happy. A chuckle escaped Roxie as Ali raised her wine glass, saying that she would be thankful for both spas and wine once the kids started walking. "Amen to that." Roxie told her before lifting her glass of sparkling water, sending the woman a teasing smile before returning back to the conversation with Gwen and Jason.

Gwen teased that they were too sweet and Roxie chuckled as Syd shoved food into his mouth. The redhead looked to Jason a moment and could read him easily despite the warm smile he wore on his face. He told her he was proud of her, which made her blush. He went on to say that he was grateful that she was still with him and Gwen nodded her head, feeling the exact same away. "My family is excited to have you here." She murmured to him gently, and before she could say anything more, Syd asked a question that she had been dodging for a while. With wide eyes, Gwen looked to Jason and she could see his poker face shift. The man took a bit of his sweet potatoes and Gwen waited patiently. She had asked about his family a long time ago, but he had dodged the question and at that point, she'd just let it go. Wondering what he was going to say, she listened carefully as he spoke. To her, he didn't have family...right?

To her surprise, he informed her nephew that not only did he have family but they were in New York. Syd innocently pressed on the subject and Gwen didn't stop him, curious to know what Jason had been keeping from her. He had led her to believe that all secrets had been spoken of, that they were an open relationship with nothing to hide. A part of her couldn't help but feel hurt by the fact that he had kept this from her. Gwen moved to her plate and stabbed a few pieces of green beans with her fork. Noticing eyes on her, Gwen turned to look at Jason as he clarified that this was his first Thanksgiving ever. Brows furrowed as confusion settled on her face and before she could do any pressing of her own, he revealed that he hadn't seen them in 27 years.

Silence fell at their part of the table and Gwen openly stared at Jason for a moment before Roxie cleared her throat, "Welcome to the Club then," Her voice was soft as she looked at both Jason and Gwen. "Been in New York since I was born here and my parents never celebrated Thanksgiving." Looking to Syd after a moment, she took his hand lightly. "I think it's a good thing though...better to have not had it at all than to associate it with something upsetting and tragic." Gwen nodded her head lightly in agreement but still looked to Jason, unsure of what to say. She was upset, clearly, but now wasn't the time to express such emotions.
with: Ali Melanin-Gxdess
Syd/Jason Pyroclast
Savvy Misty Gray